At first glance, the Purrple Cat Cafe in Glasgow's Trongate looks like any normal cafe. Nothing appears unusual, except the large purple cat stickers at the entrance. But you’ll soon realise this is no ordinary cafe – because it has been kitted out, or should I say kitty-ed out, to meet the needs of its 26 feline inhabitants.

The former Bank of Scotland building has been given a new lease of life: colourful bunting stretches across the length of the room, a larger than life cat tangled in a ball of yarn and paw prints have been painted across the walls. The reclaimed wooden tables and mismatched sofas, give the place a cosy yet modern feel. It’s the purrfect place for city-dwellers and cats to unwind.

The first cat cafes originated in Taiwan in 1998 and similar cafes have been pawing their way across the globe. There’s definitely a good feline to this environment. I make myself comfortable and order a Portuguese tart, warm Nutella hot chocolate, and a curious little ragdoll kitten, named “Groot” – a character from the Guardian’s of the Galaxy movie nests in my lap.

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There are 26 cats in total, some of which have been rescued and they have been named after popular cartoon, movie and TV characters based on their personality. There’s a Yoda, Merida from Brave and an Isa from Still Game. Like every pet, each cat has its own personality and quirks. Some sleep on the sofas beside guests, while others glance curiously from a distance. In exchange for attention or treats, the cats keep their visiting humans entertained and there’s a private area downstairs, where if the cats don't feel like socialising they can rest.

Tracey Malcolmson, 32, from Glasgow, has poured her heart and soul into the cat-pad. She created the hub to unite people over a hot drink, cake, and her obsession with cats.

“Having cats makes me feel less stressed, even when I’m in here and I feel stressed, they make me feel calm. There’s something special about them.”

Malcolmson previously worked in NHS healthcare and thought that some kind of kit-tea therapy would be great for Glaswegians. As well as providing companionship for the lonely, pets have therapeutic qualities which can help people overcome stress or trauma.

Mikkel Munkholm, 26, Denmark said: “Cats are very calm and soothing creatures and they help me to relax. I’m an exchange student living in Glasgow, and I just love the idea of this place. ”

Liz Christie, 24, Edinburgh said: “Once I move to Glasgow, I’ll definitely come here a lot more. Renting property means I can't keep cats, but I can come here and play with them. They’re really cute and so engaging”

Having such a large number of cat residents is quite a handful, which makes staff careful about the animals' safety. The cafe is run by over 30 members of staff, who are all cat owners and understand their needs. Vet students, a retired clinical psychologist, physics students, and former social care workers, are among the assembled team of onsite ‘cattendants'.

The cafe serves hot drinks and food prepared in a cat-free environment.

The pet cafe trend started in Edinburgh with its cat cafe, Maison de Moggy, and the Edinburgh Chihuahua cafe. The popularity has seen similar pop-up events take place in Glasgow. Pie and Brew cafe, Bath Street, hosted a pop-up pug event where dog owners brought along their pet pugs to socialise and indulge in some ‘puppachinos’.

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The purpose of the Purrple Cat Cafe is to rekindle a sense of community in the area and evoke feelings of visiting your gran’s house for tea. Malcolmson and staff have been finding ways to encourage customer involvement by hosting a range of equally quirky activities and events. Cat yoga and Thursday quiz nights have become the most popular activities.

Aspiring photographers regularly meet at the cafe for “Camera Club” to learn the top tips and tricks from professional photographers capturing the cats in their essence. The cats make perfect subjects for photo opportunities, as they cuddle up for a snooze, leap across their kitty obstacle course, and interact with customers.

Visitors are given some key ground rules before entering the cafe and the cats have also been trained to understand their boundaries. This ensures a chilled atmosphere for customers to relax and space for the cats to feel comfortable.

Another unique trait of this cafe is that it has been finding ways to involve younger children in events by hosting toddler-friendly sessions. Their recent toddler session took place between 17-20 July when under-fives were invited along to play with the cats and kittens.

Propped around the cafe are cat sculptures made by a talented member of staff known as ‘the master Lego builder’, and one ongoing project is a kitty Lego building session. The plan is to teach guests how to turn Lego blocks into impressive cat sculptures to showcase in their own home.

There’s always something interesting happening behind the walls of this idiosyncratic kitty haven. Customers have been encouraged to dress up in their best cat attire, and enter their photo into the cafe’s monthly competition. Winners receive will a “Cattire of the month” prize and have their photo showcased inside.

For customers who find themselves regularly visiting The Purrple Cat Cafe, there are Platinum, Silver, and Gold memberships which can be applied for online. Members will receive: merchandise bags, discounts on food and drink, and have access to exclusive events. In the past, the cafe hosted a half birthday party, Valentine’s Day special and a cat-themed movie night available for members to attend.

The cafe regularly works with Cat Flap Charity which helps to re-home and rescue abandoned cats in Glasgow. Recently, the cafe has been raising funds for a cat rescue in Cyprus and is collecting donations. The next project the cafe is organising is a cat-themed Halloween event.

The Purrple Cat Cafe is open every day from 9:30am-9pm, sessions can be booked online in advance. The cafe welcomes everyone, except dogs.

Visit purrplecatcafe.com

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